Container-filling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Container-filling apparatus comprising a chamber connected to a source of material and to a filling nozzle and a ram supported for movement in the chamber in one direction to induct material from the source into the chamber and in the other direction to displace material from the chamber through the filling nozzle into a container supported therebelow. Valves control the flow of material from the source to the chamber and from the chamber to the nozzle, a motor effects reciprocation of the ram and a pneumatic control circuit controls the rate of reciprocation of the ram, provides for reducing the rate of the displacement stroke near the end of a filling operation and provides for preventing initiation of the displacement stroke in the event that there is no container in filling position below the filling nozzle. The filling apparatus is designed for single or multiple filling heads and when the apparatus is provided with multiple heads there are feed wheels for moving empty containers one at a time from an input conveyor onto the container supports for filling and for removing filled containers from the container supports after filling onto an output or discharge conveyor. The component parts of the filling head assembly comprising the chamber, ram, valves and filling nozzle are detachably connected by quick-release clamps to enable replacing and/or substituting one chamber and ram for another of different size and/or one nozzle for another in accordance with the viscosity and volume of the material being handled and for ease in cleaning.

United States Patent [1 1 Trusselle 1 Nov. 27, 1973 CONTAINER-FILLING APPARATUS [57] ABSTRACT I [76] Inventor: William H. Trusselle, 19 Liberty St., Container-filling apparatus Comprising a Chamber B im M nected to a source of material and to a filling nozzle and a ram supported for movement in the chamber in [22] June 1971 one direction to induct material from the source into Appl. No.: 154,942

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 36,920, May 13, 1970.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 409,500 8/1889 Pine 417/38 1,494,764 5/1924 Wishart 92/138 X 3,180,527 4/1965 Wasilewski et al. 222/334 X 3,182,691 5/1965 Vergobbi et al 141/41 X 3,393,642 7/1968 Kordik et al 417/36 3,516,455 6/1970 Carter 141/90 3,522,824 8/1970 Allen et a1... 141/90 3,559,848 2/1971 Standlick 222/334 X Primary ExaminerWayne A. Morse, Jr. Assistant ExaminerFrederick R. Schmidt Att0rneySewall P. Bronstein et al.

the chamber and in the other direction to displace material from the chamber through the filling nozzle into a container supported therebelow. Valves control the flow of material from the source to the chamber and from the chamber to the nozzle, a motor effects reciprocation of the ram and a pneumatic control circuit controls the rate of reciprocation of the ram, provides for reducing the rate of the displacement stroke near the end of a filling operation and provides for preventing initiation of the displacement stroke in the event that there is no container in filling position below the filling nozzle. The filling apparatus is designed for single or multiple filling heads and when the apparatus is provided with multiple heads there are feed wheels for moving empty containers one at a time from an input conveyor onto the container supports for filling and for removing filled containers from the container supports after filling onto an output or discharge conveyor. The component parts of the filling head assembly comprising the chamber, ram, valves and filling nozzle are detachably connected by quick-release clamps to enable replacing and/or substituting one chamber and ram for another of different size and/or one nozzle for another in accordance with the viscosity and volume of the material being handled and for ease in cleaning.

16 Claims, 23 Drawing Figures CONTAINER-FILLING APPARATUS This application is a division of application, Ser. No. 36,920, filed May 13, 1970.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Apparatus for filling containers with material, particularly liquids, are generally of the pneumatic type or the piston and cylinder type. Pneumatic filling apparatus has certain disadvantages especially because many materials foam easily and hence it is difficult to insure filling to the same level from container-to-container. Moreover, many materials in the presence of air under pressure are caused to absorb air and this promotes bacterial action so that such apparatus requires frequent inspection and cleaning. The piston and cylinder type apparatus is subject to binding, wear, leakage, is expensive to manufacture and is difficult to clean. In both types there is substantially no provision for easily converting the apparatus for use in dispensing materials of different characteristics, to wit, materials of different viscosity and different foaming properties, nor for adapting the apparatus to dispense different volumes. The present invention is designed to eliminate the disadvantages characteristic of pneumatic and piston and cylinder operable apparatus and especially to provide for a single or multiple head apparatus; to provide for easy conversion of the apparatus for dispensing of one material to another or from dispensing one volume to another; to provide accurate control for consistently dispensing the same volume and hence filling to the same level each time; to prevent discharge in the event that there is no container present for filling and in particular in the multi-head apparatus to prevent discharge in the absence of a container at one or more of the filling heads without interrupting continuous operation of the remaining filling heads to which containers have been supplied and continuous operation of the machine; and to reduce manufacturing costs to a minimum.

SUMMARY As herein illustrated, the apparatus comprises a chamber connected to a source of material with which the containers are to be filled and to a filling nozzle for dispensing the material from the chamber into the containers. A ram is mounted for reciprocable movement of a portion thereof through an opening in the chamber in one direction to induct material from the source through a valve into the chamber and in the other direction to displace material from the chamber through a valve and through a filling nozzle into a container supported therebelow. The valves are widely separated with respect to each other and controlled independently so that one is closed while the other is open and there is minimal disturbance and/or foaming of the material during the induction and displacement strokes. A motor is connected to the ram to effect its reciprocation and there is a pneumatic control circuit for controlling reciprocation of the ram, including means for effecting movement of the ram at a relatively fast rate during retraction to enable operating the machine at high speed and at a relatively slow rate during displacement to avoid churning and/or foaming of the material, and further to slow the ram down as it nears the end of the displacement stroke to prevent overfill. Optionally, the control circuit may embody sensing means for limiting the fill. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention the apparatus comprising the chamber, ram, valves and filling nozzle are separably connected and provided with quick-release clamping means by means of which they may be interchanged for corresponding parts of different size to enable handling materials of different viscosity, different foaming characteristics, different volumes and to facilitate cleaning. The apparatus may embody a single filling assembly or a plurality of filling assemblies and there is provided, in combination with both means for lifting a container into filling position relative to the filling nozzle or nozzles and means in the control circuit adapted to prevent the filling operation being initiated in the event that no container is present to be filled. In the multi-head machine the aforesaid means operates without interrupting continuous operation of the apparatus and the filling of containers which are in filling position. The multi-head apparatus is also provided with means for loading empty containers onto the container supports, means for removing filled containers from the container supports after filling, and means for initiating the displacement stroke of the ram of each head operable to effect filling if there are containers in position for filling and means for initiating the induction stroke to refill the chambers preparatory to the following filling operation.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates the essential components of a single filling head supplied from a source of material and dispensing into a container;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan of a multiple head filling machine provided with means for supplying empty containers to the machine for filling and removing filled containers from the machine for discharge;

FIG. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of a standpipe for supplying material from a source to a filling head;

FIG. 4 is an elevation of a single filling head with some parts in section;

FIG. 5 is an exploded elevation, partly in section, of the filling chamber, manifold and adapter shown in FIG. 4, to larger scale and partly in section;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a quick-release clamp;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of a sealing ring;

FIG. 7a is a cross-section of an alternative form of sealing ring;

FIG. 8 is an elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, at the upper end of the ram chamber showing the ram connected to the lower end of a piston rod by means of which it is reciprocated;

FIG. 8a is an elevation of a spacer;

FIG. 9 is an elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of the valve assembly through which material is induced into the ram chamber and the motor for effecting its operation;

FIG. 9a is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of an alternative form of induction valve;

FIG. 10 is an elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of the valve assembly through which material is discharged into a container;

FIG. 11 shows in section an alternative form of discharge valve in the valve assembly through which the material is delivered to a container;

FIG. 12 is an elevation, partly in section, at the upper end of the standpipe which provides a reservoir of material for supply to the ram chamber;

FIG. 13 is an elevation, partly in section, of a container guide including means operable thereby to condition the control circuit of the apparatus for operation;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view of the control circuit for a single head machine;

FIG. 15 is an elevation, partly in section, of the base of a multi-head machine;

FIG. 16 is an elevation, partly in section, of the multihead machine above the base shown in FIG. 15; to and FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic view of the control circuit for the multi-head machine;

FIG. 17a is a fragmentary elevation at the lower end of the filling nozzle provided with a sensing tube;

FIG. 17b is a fragmentary elevation at the lower end of the filling nozzle provided with a vacuum return jacket for removing the excess material above a predetermined level at shut-off; and

FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic view of a control circuit for a multi-head machine provided with sensing means to determine the fill height.

As illustrated herein, the apparatus may comprise a single filling head or a plurality of filling heads, each head comprising essentially, as illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 1, a chamber 10, a ram 12 supported for movement of an end into and out of the chamber, operable by inward movement to displace material from the chamber through a nozzle tube 14 into a container 16 supported therebelow and by movement from the chamber to induce material from a source of material 18 into the chamber, a motor 20 for effecting reciprocation of the ram and valves 22 and 24 associated with the nozzle tube and with the source of material, respectively, to control the flow of the material.

The apparatus, as herein illustrated, is adapted to fill containers of many shapes and sizes and to fill them with many different kinds of materials having different viscosities, different foaming characteristics and different bacterial potentialities and so it is important that the component parts of the filling head, as related above, be readily and quickly detachable from each other to permit substitution and/or replacement of parts to provide for the most efficient operation for the kind and volume of the material being dispensed and to facilitate cleaning.

With the foregoing in mind, and referring specifically to FIG. 4, which illustrates a filling apparatus provided with a single filling head, the chamber 10 is in the form of a hollow cylinder provided with a coupling flange 26 (FIG. 5) at its lower end adapted to be coupled to a corresponding flange 28 at the upper end of one leg 30a of a T-shaped manifold 32 having lateral legs 30b and 30c. The manifold is removably mounted on a support 38 (FIG. 4) by means of a clamp bracket 34 comprising a base 340 fixed to the support, the upper end of which is adapted to receive the lower half of the leg 30c, and a cap 34b adapted to receive the upper half of the leg 30c bolted over it to the base. A quick-release clamp collar 40 (FIG. 4) releasably clamps the flanges 26 and 28 to each other in liquid-tight relation. The upper end of the chamber 10 is provided with a clamping flange 42 (FIG. 5) to which is releasably clamped an adapter 44 through which the ram enters the chamber, the adapter for this purpose having at its lower end a clamping flange 46 adapted to be releasably clamped to the flange 42 by a quick-release clamp 48 (FIG. 4). To provide a seal around the ram the upper end of the adapter 44 is provided with an internal annular recess 50, at the bottom of which there is an annular shoulder 52 and a pair of sealing rings 5454 (FIG. 8) are placed in the recess about the ram. Each sealing ring 54 contains an internal resilient core 56 operable when placed in compression between the inner surface of the recess 50 and the outer surface of the ram to provide a leak-tight seal. The two rings 5454 are placed back-to-back in the recess and retained therein by a cap nut 57 surrounding the ram and threaded onto the upper end of the adapter, threads 58 being provided for this purpose. FIG. 7a shows in section another form of ring 54a in which the core 56a is a coiled spring. Alternatively, when there are no special problems involved to obtain a seal around the ram or to inhibit bacterial action conventional packing material may be substituted for the rings and the cap nut 57 screwed down to apply sealing pressure thereto.

The ram 12, as illustrated in FIG. 8, is made smaller in horizontal cross-section than the inside cross-section of the chamber 10, so that there is a relatively large clearance space a between the inner surface of the chamber and the outer surface of the ram. This has the advantage that neither the inner surface of the chamber nor the outer surface of the ram is required to be finished to a close tolerance, thus materially reducing the manufacturing cost. To guide the ram during reciprocation it is desirable to provide radial spacers 12a at the lower end of the ram which, by engagement with the inside of the chamber, will hold the ram in concentric relation thereto. Three such spacers are shown in FIG. 1 located peripherally 120 apart and preferably these spacers are comprised of teflon or an equivalent material.

The substitution of a ram to effect displacement in place of the conventional cylinder and piston-type pump wherein the piston is provided with rings and grooves, in addition to reducing the manufacturing costs, eliminates mechanical problems, such as binding, wear, leakage and contamination caused by bacterial growth, insures repeatable performance, that is, filling to the same level from container-to-container and simplifies cleaning when making changes from one material to another. While the chamber and ram, as illustrated, are cylindrical in cross-section they may have any other cross-sectional configuration desired which is consistent with efi'ective operation.

To insure complete filling of the chamber so that no air will be present either to spoil the accuracy of the filling operation or to promote bacterial growth, the adapter 44 is provided with an opening 60 in which there is screwed a vent assembly 62 which may be opened during the induction stroke to allow air and/or vapor to be forced out of the upper end of the chamber and thereafter closed.

The manifold 32 at the lower end of the chamber is connected to the source by way of an elbow 74 (FIG. 4), valve assembly 66 embodying the valve 24 (FIG. 9) which controls the flow of material from the source to the manifold and a conductor 68; and to the filling nozzle tube by a valve assembly 112 embodying the valve 22 (FIG. 10) which controls the flow of material from the manifold to the nozzle tube.

The valve assembly 66 (FIG. 9) has at its lower end a clamping flange 70 adapted to be releasably clamped by a clamp 71 to a clamping flange 72 at one end of the elbow 74. The other end of the elbow is releasably clamped to the leg 30b of the manifold by a similar flange 75 and clamp 76 (FIG. 4). At the lower end of the valve assembly there is a seating ring 78 (FIG. 9) containing a conical valve seat 80 which diverges in the direction of flow of material through the assembly. The valve 24 is supported beyond the seat 80 in the direction of flow by a vlave spindle 82 which extends upwardly therefrom through a gland 84 at the upper end of the assembly so as to close against the flow of material through the assembly and is provided with a conical surface 24a containing a ring 24b for engagement with the conical valve seat 80. The gland 84 is removably secured in place by engagement of a flange 85 at its upper end with a shoulder 87 at the upper end of the assembly and by a cap 86 provided with a clamping flange 88 mounted on the spindle above the gland and releasably clamped to a flange 90 by means of a clamp 89. Optionally, a ring 54 or 54a, such as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7a, may be employed above the packing. A spring 94 is mounted on the spindle above the cap with its lower end engaged with the flange 88 and its uper end engaged with a washer 96 held in place on the spindle by a lock ring 98 seated in a groove 100 in the spindle. The spring normally holds the valve 24 against its seat. Displacement of the spindle 82 in a direction to open the valve 24 is provided for by a motor 102 comprising a cylinder 104 containing a piston supported with the rod 106 in vertical alignment with the upper end of the spindle so that extension of the rod from the cylinder will displace the spindle downwardly.

The valve assembly 66 has intermediate its ends a laterally extending part 108 and flange 110 adapted to be clamped in leak-tight relation to one end of the conductor 68. 7

FIG. 9a shows an alternative form of valve 24a wherein the lower end of the valve is provided with a stud 24c, the O-ring 24b is placed about the stud and a washer 24d is clamped against the O-ring by a screw bolt 24e inserted through the washer and screwed into the stud.

In order to insure -a continuous uninterrupted quantity of relatively quiescent material at a constant head, the conductor 68 is connected to a distributor chamber 103 (FIG. 3) of considerable volume which, in turn, is connected to the lower end of a standpipe 105 adapted to contain a column of material, the volume of which is in excess of that amount which will be drawn therefrom at any one time by the induction stroke of the ram. Additional material is supplied to the standpipe through a supply pipe 107 supported in the standpipe with its lower end near the bottom and its upper end projecting upwardly beyond the upper end of the standpipe. At the upper end of the standpipe there is a clamping flange 113 (FIG. 12) which is releasably clamped to an adapter 115, the latter having at its lower end a clamping flange 117 for clamping to the clamping flange 113 by a clamp 111. The adapter 115 contains an annular recess 118 which are disposed in back-to-back relation sealing rings 121-121 of the kind supported at the upper end of the chamber where the ram enters the chamber and beyond these there is a larger recess 119 containing a packing 123 held in place by a cap 125 screwed onto the upper end of the adapter which is provided with threads 127 for this purpose. The supply pipe 107 beyond the adapter may comprise one 'or more additonal sections as are needed to provide for connection to a source of material. As thus constructed, material delivered to the supply pipe 107 gravitates to the distributor chamber 103 (FIG. 3) and fills the standpipe about the supply pipe up to the adapter. Desirably, but not necessarily, a vent assembly corresponding to the vent assembly 62 shown in FIG. 8 is employed near the top of the standpipe to remove the air so that the entire standpipe will be filled with :material. Such a vent assembly 620 is shown in FIG. 3 mounted near the upper end of the standpipe 105.

, The valve assembly 112 (FIG. 10) is provided at its lower end with a clamping flange 114 to which is releasably clamped a flange 116 at the upper end of the filling nozzle tube by a clamp 118. In one form of the vlave assembly the valve 22 is supported at the lower end of the filling nozzle by a spindle which is supported at the upper end of the assembly in a gland 122. The gland is provided with a radial flange 124 by means of which it is removably supported within the upper end of the assembly on a shoulder 126. A cap 132 is mounted on the spindle against the flange 124 and is provided with a clamping flange 128 which is releasably clarnped by a clamp 133 to a flange 130 at the upper end of the assembly. Optionally, a ring 54 or 54a, such as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7a, may be used above the packing. The cap 132 has an axially extending hub 134 through which the spindle extends and a spring 136 is mounted on the spindle with one end surrounding the hub and abutting the flange 128 and the other end abutting a washer 138 mounted on the spindle against the spring ring 140, seated in a groove 142 in the spindle. The spring 136 operates to hold the valve closed and closing movement is limited by engagement of an annular shoulder 144 on the spindle with the lower end of the gland 122. A rod 145 is detachably connected to the lower end of the spindle 120 and extends downwardly therefrom through the nozzle tube 146 and has at its lower end the valve 22. The valve 22 has a cylindrical portion 148 containing an annular groove 150 in which is mounted a sealing ring 152 and an annular portion 158 of corresponding diameter extending inwardly thereof. At substantially the junction of the cylindrical portion and the annular portion there are divergent ports 156156. Downward displacement of the spindle 120 and rod 145 far enough to extend the cylindrical portion 148 beyond the lower end of the nozzle tube permits discharge through the aforesaid ports. Displacement of the spindle to open the valve 22 is provided for by a motor 160 (FIG. 4) mounted above the spindle comprising a cylinder, piston and piston rod 162 supported in alignment with the spindle.

The valve assembly just described is especially suited for free flowing materials of low viscosity. An altemative form of valve assembly is shown in FIG. 11 for slow 'flowing, viscose material wherein the valve and valve seat are located entirely within the valve assembly, leaving the nozzle tube below the valve assembly completely clear of any valve structure. In this form a seating ring 164 having an outwardly divergent conical seat 166 is located at the lower end of the assembly 112 and the valve 22 at the lower end of the rod 145 is provided with a conical surface 168 containing a recessed sealing ring 167 for engagement with the conical surface 166 of the seat. As in the previous valve assembly the valve is situated beyond the seat in the direction of flow of the material through the assembly and closes against the flow of material through the assembly.

The valve assembly 112 (FIG. has a laterally extending part 172 intermediate its ends and a flange 174 by means of which it is releasably clamped to a clamping flange 178 at the end of the leg 30c of the manifold 32 by a clamp 180 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

The arrangement of the valve assemblies and valves at relatively remote positions relative to each other and operation of the valves independently of each other minimizes local turbulence such as churning, foaming and the like which is one of the causes of non-uniform filling from container-to-container.

From the foregoing it is evident that the entire filling head assembly comprsing the chamber, ram, manifold, valve assemblies and filling nozzle can be easily and quickly disassembled for replacement or substitution of parts for the most efficient handling of materials of different viscosities and for cleaning and more especially that the chamber and ram may be removed without dismantling the valve assemblies or manifold; that the manifold may be removed without dismantling the chamber and ram or the valve assemblies; that each valve assembly may be removed without dismantling the chamber and ram or the manifold; and that the valve assemblies themselves may be removed and dismantled and in particular the valve assembly associated with the filling nozzle may be removed without first detaching the nozzle and, in turn, the nozzle may be removed and replaced with one of a different size without first removing the valve.

Reciprocation of the ram 12 is provided for by a motor (FIG. 4), the latter comprising a cylinder 190 mounted above the upper end of the chamber containing a piston and rod 192 extending therefrom toward the upper end of the ram for attachment to the ram. The lower end of the rod 192 is threaded at 193 and screwed into a stud 194 (FIG. 8) at the upper side of a block 196 containing at its underside slots 198 and 200 for receiving, respectively, a head 64 and neck 64a at the upper end of the ram. A latch plate 201 fixed by means of a screw 204 to the block 196 holds the head and neck in the slots. It is desirable to be able to adjust the stroke of the ram so that the volume of the material discharge may be varied according to the volume of the container being filled and so that the level of the material in the container may be predetermined and especially to be able to effect such adjustment quickly and easily without necessarily having to disconnect the ram from the motor and of substituting chambers and rams of one size for chambers and rams of another size. To this end the stud 194 is externally threaded at 206 and a sleeve 208 is threaded onto the stud. A set screw 210 provides for fixing the sleeve at a predetermined position. A sleeve 212 corresponding in diameter to the sleeve 208 is mounted above the sleeve 208 in concentric relation thereto on a bushing 214 frictionally engaged with the rod. Set screws 216 provide for securing the sleeve 212 to the bushing. The adjacent ends of the sleeves contain annular recesses 218, 220 for receiving spacers S of different length. When no spacer is employed the adjacent ends of the sleeves abut. By placing a spacer between the adjacent ends of the sleeves, the sleeve 212 and the bushing to which it is attached may be moved along the rod 192 toward the lower end of the cylinder 190 (FIG. 4) so that engagement of the flange 222 of the bushing with the lower side of the support 38b (FIG. 4) on which the cylinder is mounted will stop the piston before it reaches the end of the cylinder which, in turn, terminates retraction of the ram. A plurality of spacers S are provided for different known volumes and each is in the form of a tube containing longitudinally thereof a slot 226 of sufficient width to permit the tube to be slipped into place about the piston rod without disconnecting the rod from the ram (FIG. 8a).

The spacers S provide for a quick-adjustment according to the size of the container to be filled while the sleeve 208 by rotation of the stud 194 provides for fine (micrometer) adjustment after a given spacer has been placed in position. For large capacity receptacles a chamber and ram of relatively large size are preferred and for smaller receptacles proportionately smaller chambers and rams are preferred. Substitution of one ram and chamber assembly for another can be readily accomplished by the simple expedient of removing the latch plate 201 so that the head and neck at the upper end of the ram may be disconnected from the rod and by removing the clamp 40 (FIG. 4) which clamps the lower end of the chamber to the manifold.

The support 38 on which the filling head is mounted is in turn supported above a base plate 39 (FIG. 4) by means of posts 41 and a container support 238 is mounted on the base below the nozzle tube for vertical movement from a depressed position in which an empty container may be placed thereon to an elevated position in which the upper end of the container is in filling relation to the nozzle tube. In the single head machine a complete filling cycle is initiated after placing a receptacle on the aforesaid support by means of a treadle-operated control circuit which will be described hereinafter and comprises lifting a container into filling relation to the filling nozzle, automatic conditioning the control circuit if a container is in filling position, operation of the displacement stroke of the ram to effect filling, operation of the induction stroke of the ram to ready the apparatus for the next filling operation, and lowering of the filled container for removal.

The motors 102 and 160 (FIG. 4) are supported on a platform 38a and the motor 20 is supported on a platform 38b. The platforms 38a and 38b in turn are supported in spaced parallel relation above the support 38 by vertically disposed posts 380, the lower ends of which extend through the support 38 and are fixed at their lower ends to the base 39.

FIG. 14 shows diagrammatically the pneumatic control circuit for the single head filling machine described above. Air pressure in the order of psi is supplied through a conductor C1 and branch conductors C2, C3 to first and second threee-way valves V1 and V2 which in turn are connected by conductors C4 and C5 to the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the motor cylinder 20. The conductors C4 and C5 contain adjustable reducing valves R1 and R2, respectively. The control circuit includes a second motor cylinder PV containing a piston and rods 228 and 230x extending from opposite ends of the cylinder. The motor cylinder PV is secured to the underside of the support 39 with the rod 228 extending upwardly through it and has secured to its upper end the container support 238. Vertical movement of the piston in the motor cylinder PV will raise and lower the container support relative to the filling nozzle. One end of the motor cylinder PV is connected to the source of pressure by a conductor C6 and the other by a conductor C7. In each of these conductors there is a normally open reducing valve and a normally closed three-way valve R3 and V3 and R4 and V4 respectively. The conductor C3 is also connected directly to a two-way normally closed foot valve V5 and a two-way normally closed trip valve V6, the latter being provided with an actuating lever 234 adapted to be engaged by a cam 232 mounted on the piston rod 230x extending from the lower end of the motor cylinder PV. The two-way trip valve V5 is connected by conductors C8, C9 and C10 to the three-way valves V3 and V4.

By opening the normally closed two-way foot valve V5 pressure from the source is permitted to flow through the foot valve V5 to the valves V3 and V4 to close the valve V3 and open the valve V4. Supplying pressure through the valve V4 to the lower end of the motor cylinder PV raises the piston therein which in turn raises the container support and the cam 232. A two-way normally closed valve V7 is disposed in the path of movement of the cam 232 and is connected by conductor C11 to the conductor C10 and by a conductor C12 to a three-way valve V14. Accordingly, if the foot valve V5 is held open until the cam 232 trips the valve V7, pressure will be supplied through the conductor C11 and C12 and through the three-way valve V14 provided the latter is preconditioned to transmit full pressure, to open the valve V1 and hence permit flow of pressure from the conductor C2 through the conductor C4 to the upper end of the motor cylinder 20. Pressure supplied to the upper end of the motor cylinder will force the piston downwardly therein which in turn will force the ram downwardly in the chamber to displace material from the chamber through the nozzle into a container resting on the support 238. During the displacement stroke the vlave 24 associated with the source must be closed and the valve 22 associated with the filling nozzle open. The valve 24 (FIG. 9) is held closed by the spring 94 andthe valve 22 (FIG. 10) is opened by the motor 160 by pressure supplied thereto through the conductor C12. The motor 102 associated with the valve 24 is held inactive so that the spring 94 holds the valve 24 closed due to the fact that in the circuit the valves V2 and V6 which are connected, respectively, to the motor by the conductors C14 and C16 are closed. When the piston in the motor cylinder 20 reaches the lower end of its stroke it is stopped by engagement with the lower end of the cylinder. Simultaneously the piston engages a vent valve V8 which bleeds pressure from the conductor C12 as the result of which the motor 160 is de-activated thus allowing the valve 22 to be closed by the spring 136 (FIG. 10) and the three-way valve V1 to close thus cutting off the pressure from the upper end of the motor cylinder 20. Reduction of the pressure in the conductor C12 results in closing of the three-way valve V4 thus cutting off pressure to the lower end of the motor cylinder PV and re-opening the valve V3 thereby supplying pressure to the upper end of the motor cylinder PV. Pressure supplied to the upper end of the motor cylinder PV displaces the piston downwardly therein so as to lower the container support and to bring the cam 232 into engagement with the actuating lever 234 of the two-way valve V6 thereby supplying pressure through the conductors C16 and C14 to the three-way valve V2 and through the conductor C5 to the lower end of the motor cylinder 20. Pressure supplied to be lower end of the motor cylinder 20 raises the piston therein which in turn retracts the ram. At a predetermined point in the retraction, depending upon the position of the bushing 214 (FIG. 8) on the piston rod, the flange 222 will engage the lower side of the support 38b (FIG. 4) on which the motor cylinder is mounted and stop the piston. Simultaneously, the flange 222 will, by engagement with an exhaust valve V9, open the latter to bleed pressure from the conductors C14 and C16 thereby closing the three-way valve V2 and cut off pressure from the lower end of the motor cylinder 20. The conductors C14 and C16 also de-activate the motor 102 associated with the source of fluid so that the spring 94 (FIG. 9) closes the valve 24 preparatory to the next displacement stroke which is initiated by re-opening the foot valve V5.

Adjustable reduction valves R1, R2, R3 and R4 are interposed in the conductors supplying pressure to the upper and lwoer ends of the motor cylinder 20 and the motor cylinder PV for controlling the rate of displacement of the pistons in these cylinders. Usually it is desirable to effect retraction of the ram rapidly so that the machine can be operated at relatively high speed. However, it is desirable to adjust the rate of movement of the ram in the displacement stroke for materials of different viscosity and foaming characteristics and also at times to change the rate during the displacement stroke from a relatively first rate during the major part of the displacement stroke to a slow rate near the end of the displacement stroke. The reduction valves R1, R2, R3 and R4 provide for controlling the rate of displacement of the pistons in the respective cylinders. To provide for slowing the piston down near the end of the displacement stroke, there is provided in the conductor C5 a normally open three-way valve V10. This valve is connected by a conductor C18 to a two-way normally closed trip valve V12 which in turn is connected by a conductor C20 to the conductor C12. The valve V12 is provided with an actuating arm 227 adapted to be tripped by a cam 231 (FIG. 4) movable in unison with the piston rod as the latter moves downwardly to open the normally closed valve V12 at a predetermined point in the downward stroke of the piston rod. Opening the valve V12 permits pressure from the conductor C12 to flow through the valve V12 and to shift the normally open valve V10 to a position such that it blocks the conductor between the valve V10 and the cylinder 20 thus trapping air below the piston at the lower end of the motor cylinder 20 thereby slowing down the movement of the piston and simultaneously vents air through a vent valve CV. Optionally, a slow down valve SV may be interposed in the conductor between the reducing valve R1 and the upper end of the cylinder 20.

It is undesirable to have a filling head discharge material through the filling nozzle if there is no container on the container support. Hence the valve V14 is provided in the circuit, the purpose of which is to prevent initiation of the filling operation upon actuation of the foot valve if there is no container in position to be filled by the filling nozzle. The valve V14 is normally open so that the pressure in the control circuit by reason of the continuous bleed of pressure through this valve is below that necessary to effect operation of the valve V1, the valve V1 being held opened by a weight W (FIG. 13) supported on a rod 232x. The rod 232x is supported for vertical movement and when no container is in position on the container support for filling, occupies a depressed position such that the weight W bears upon a valve pin 236,,the latter holding the valve V14 open. When a container is placed on the container support below the filling nozzle and is moved by the motor cylinder PV into filling position its upper end, by engagement with a container guide 234 to which the lower end of the rod 232x is secured, raises the rod 232x thereby lifting the weight W off the valve pin 236 so that the valve V14 transmits full pressure. The container guide 234 to which the lower end of the rod 232x is secured is of substantially identical construction for both the single head and the multi-head machine and is supported in concentric relation to the nozzle tube at the lower ends of a pair of spaced parallel rods 17-17 vertically slidable in a bracket block 19 fastened to the nozzle valve assembly. The upper ends of the rods 1717 are secured to a cross-bar 21 which, by engagement with the upper ends of a pair of upwardly extending tubes 13-13 fixed to the bracket block 19, limit downard movement of the nozzle guide relative to the nozzle. When no container is present on the container support the container guide 234 is suspended by engagement of the cross-bar 21 with the upper ends of the tubes 13-13, in which position the weight W rests upon the valve pin 236 so that the control circuit is continuously vented. This prevents discharge of material from the filling nozzle if someone accidentally or maliciously steps on the starting treadle when there is no container present. As shown, there is a cam roller 278 mounted on the cross-bar 21; however, this serves no purpose in the single head machine but does, by engagement with a cam 276 in the multi-head machine, as will be related hereinafter, raise and lower the container guide during certain periods of the operation of the machine.

The multi-head machine (FIG. 16) differs from the single head machine in that it is provided with a support in the form of a circular platform 240 supported for rotation about a vertical axis on which are mounted in circumferentially spaced relation a plurality of filling heads such as described above in the same manner as the single filling head is mounted on the fixed support 38. In the multi-head machine the distributing chamber 103, standpipe 105 and supply pipe 107 are located at the center of the platform 240 so as to be rotatable therewith about its axis of rotation. Each of the filling heads is connected to the distributor 103 by a conductor 68.

The pressure for the control circuit of the several filling heads (FIG. 16) is supplied through the base of the machine to a distributor head 246 mounted on the platform 240 beneath the distributor chamber 103, by way of a radially supported conductor 243 (FIG. connected to a coupling 245 connected to the lower end of a riser 247, the upper end of which is connected and the distributor head 246. The distributor head 246 is in turn connected by radially and vertically extending conductors C22 and C24 to an annular manifold 248 supported adjacent the upper ends of the motor cylinders and from which extend radial conductors C26 (FIG. 17), one to each filling head.

The motors 102 and 160 (FIG. 16) are supported by a platform 241 situated above and parallel to the platform 240 and the motors 20 are supported by a platform 243x mounted above and parallel to the platform 241. Circumferentially mounted posts 247 fixed at their lower ends to the platform 240 and extending vertically upward therefrom support the platforms 241 and 243x in spaced parallel relation above the platform 240. The manifold 248 is secured to the underside of the platform 243x.

The control circuit for the multi-head machine is shown in FIG. 17 and is quite similar to that described with respect to the single head machine except that instead of being controlled by a foot valve, each filling head is provided with a valve VS having a trip T1 for initiating the filling operation and a valve VC having a trip T2 for initiating the induction operation. The valves and their trips travel with the platform as the latter rotates and at predetermined points the trips T1 and T2, by engagement with successively located cam tracks 250, 252 first trip the valve VS initiating filling and then trip the valve VC for initiating induction. The cam tracks 250 and 252 (FIG. 2) are mounted on the machine frame at properly spaced points intermediate the places of loading of empty containers for filling onto the container supports and discharge of the filled containers from the filling supports after filling as will be described hereinafter.

Each control circuit as related above is supplied with pressure from the manifold 248 (FIG. 17) through a conductor C26. The conductor C26 in turn supplies pressure through conductors C30 and C32 to normally closed three-way valves V16 and V18 which in turn are connected by conductors C34 and C36 to the upper and lower ends of the motor cylinder 20. Adjustable reduction valves R6 and R8 are provided in the conductors C34 and C36. Operation of the starting trip T1 of valve VS by engagement with the cam 250 (FIG. 2) as the filling head associated with it is rotated with the platform permits pressure to flow from the conductor C26 through it and the conductor C30 to the three-way valve V16 thereby supplying pressure through the conductor C34 to the upper end of the motor cylinder 20 to initiate downward displacement of the piston therein and consequently the displacement stroke of the ram provided the valve V14 later to be described is preconditioned to transmit full pressure and hence to open the three-way valve V16. At the same time, pressure in the line C38 actuates the motor associated with the nozzle, opening the valve 22 (FIG. 10) therein to permit discharge of material therefrom into a container. During this period the three-way valve V18 remains closed so that the motor 102 associated with the source of material is de-activated and the spring 94 (FIG. 9) holds the valve 24 closed. When the piston in the motor cylinder 20 reaches the lower end of the cylinder it is stopped by engagement with the lower end of the cylinder and simultaneously actuates a vent valve V20 thereby lowering the pressure in the conductor C38. The drop in pressure in the conductor C38 closes the valve V16 so that pressure is cut off from the upper end of the motor cylinder 20, the motor 160 is de-activated and the spring 136 (FIG. 10) closes the valve 22. As the platform 240 continues to rotate, the trip T2 of valve VC is actuated by the earn 252 (FIG. 2) to supply pressure from the conductor C26 through it and the conductor C40 to open the three-way valve V18 thereby supplying pressure to the lower end of the motor cylinder 20 to raise the piston therein and retract the ram. Simultaneously, pressure is supplied through a conduc tor C42 to the motor 102 associated with the material source to open the valve 24 and hence to permit material to be drawn into the chamber 10 by the retracting ram. When the piston reaches a predetermined height in the motor cylinder 20, the flange 222 on the bushing 214 (FIG. 8), according to its position on the piston rod will engage the lower end of the cylinder and stop the piston and hence the retractive stroke of the ram. Simultaneously, the flange 222 actuates an exhaust valve V22 thereby bleeding pressure from the valve VC by way of a conductor C44 which closes the valve VC thereby cutting off the pressure to the lower end of the motor cylinder and de-activating the motor 102 associated with the material supply so that the valve 24 is closed by the spring 94 preparatory to the next filling operation.

A valve V24 and a valve V26 with trip 254 are provided to control the rate of descent of the piston in the motor cylinder 20, for example, to slow it down near its lower end. The trip 254 is actuated by the cam 231 at the upper end of the rod 257 (FIG. 16) which, as previously described, is secured at its lower end to the block 196 at the upper end of the ram. Thus as the ram moves downwardly on the displacement stroke the cam 230 is drawn downwardly and by engagement with the trip 254 opens the valve V26 so that pressure from the conductor C38 is supplied to the valve V24 to shift said valve thereby blocking the conductor between the valve V24 and the lower end of the cylinder 20 which traps the air at the lower end of the cylinder below the downwardly moving piston and so slows the piston down. Simultaneously, the valve V24 vents through a valve CV. By adjusting the initial position of the cam 230 the position at which slow down will take place may be adjusted. The control circuit is also provided, as described with respect to the single head filling machine, with a valve V14 so that in the absence of a container in a position for filling there will be insufficient pressure in the control circuit to initiate opening the valve V16 and hence to start the displacement stroke. As related above, the valve V14 is closed by raising the weight W away from the pin 236 and this is effected by elevation of a container into filling position with respect to the nozzle which in turn raises the container guide 234 FIG. 13), rod 232x and weight W. Since each control circuit is completely independent of every other, the fact that a container is not present on one of the container supports in a position for filling and therefore that particular filling head is prevented from operating as related above, does not interrupt continued operation of the apparatus for filling of containers which are present and in inoperative relation to the filling nozzles of the other filling heads.

A sensing relay may be employed in conjunction with the control circuit described heretofore for terminating the filling operation when the level of the liquid in the container reaches a predetermined height. Diagrammatically the sensing relay is illustrated in FIG. 18, wherein a conductor C50 connected to the conductor C26 supplies operating air pressure to an air jet chamber J-l, from thence to an air jet chamber J-2 and from thence to an adjustable pneumatically operable device P which operates when the pressure reaches a predetermined level to open a normally closed vent valve J32. The vent valve J32 is connected to the control circuit by a conductor C52 so that operation of the vent valve J32 lowers the pressure in the circuit and hence terminates the displacement stroke of the piston and ram. A rise in pressure is obtained by blocking the flow of air from the nozzle N of the jet chamber J-2. This is provided for by a diaphragm D supported rod r opposite the nozzle. The rod r is normally maintained at a predetermined distance (by adjustment of jet chamber J-2) from the nozzle N by sensing air pressure supplied to the diaphragm from the conductor C50 through a conductor C54, which includes pressure regulators P1 and P2 by means of which the operating pressure is reduced to a lower pressure-below normal operating pressure. A sensing tube S1 is supported adjacent the discharge end of the filling nozzle (FIG. 17a) through which the sensing pressure is continuously flowing from the conductor C56. When the flow of sensing air is blocked by rise of the material in the container to the level of the sensing tube, back pressure is created in the sensing tube and this is transferred through a conductor CS6 to the diaphragm to move the rod r toward the jet nozzle N thereby raising the pressure in the jet chamber by blocking free flow from the nozzle. When the pressure in the jet chamber J2 reaches the predetermined level as set by the pneumatic device P, the pressure control circuit is bled through the vent valve 132.

To provide for clearing the sensing tube a valve V34 is interposed in the conductor C56 which in its normally closed position provides a pssage for the sensing air pressure in the conductor CS6 to the diaphragm D. A valve V36 is connected to the conductor C54 and is provided with a trip by means of which it may be operated to permit flow of pressure through it and a conductor C58 and branches C60 and C62 to respectively the valves V34 and V48. The pulse of air supplied to the valve V48 shifts it to an open position, allowing air to flow through the conductor C64 to the valve V34 and from thence through conductor C56 under full line pressure to clear the sensing tube at the nozzle.

The sensing tube S1, as herein illustrated (FIG. 17a), is shown secured externally to the filling nozzle 22; however, it may be supported within the filling nozzle in concentric relation thereto.

Another way of controlling the level of the material in the container is to support a vacuum tube Vt in parallel or concentric relation to the filling nozzle 22, the latter being shown in FIG. 17b, said tube being connected to a subatmospheric pressure receptacle and operating as soon as the material reaches the level of the discharge orifices of the nozzle and flow is terminated to remove any overfill. Optionally, a deformable sealing member Sr may be supported in concentric relation to the nozzle 22 for engagement with the top of the container to seal it during the filling operation.

In conjunction with the rotary platform on the multihead machine there is a spider 258 (FIG. 15) supported below the platform for rotation therewith. The spider 258 has a plurality of radial arms 260 at the outer ends of which there are bearing holes 262 in which are vertically mounted spindles 264. The upper end of each spindle 264 has on it a container support 266 and the lower end of each spindle bears upon a circularly disposed cam track 268. The cam track 268 is constructed so that as the platform and spider turn in uinson the lower ends of the spindles 264 are raised to elevated positions as related above in which the containers are supported with their upper open ends in filling relation to the nozzle tube and are held in this position until the filling operation is completed.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, both the platform and the spoder are supported on a base frame for rotation by a rotatably mounted column 249, the upper end of which is supported between bearing rollers 251 supported peripherally thereof and the lower end of which is seated on a roller bearing assembly 253. A gear 255 at the lower end of the column provides for effecting its rotation.

In the multi-head filling machine there is provided means for continuously loading empty containers onto the container supports 266 preparatory to elevation and filling and means for thereafter removing the filled containers from the container supports after they have been filled and the container supports have been moved to their depressed positions. The aforesaid means comprise pocket wheels 268 and 270 (FIG. 2) located adjacent the spider at a level just above the level of the depressed container supports, the one 268 to pick empty containers from an infeed conveyor 272 and move them one at a time onto a container support 266 and the other 27 to pick the filled containers from the container support 266, one at a time, and transfer them to a discharge conveyor 274. Intermediate the pocket wheels there is a fixed cam trck 276 (FIGS 2 and 13) adapted to raise each container guide 234 as it approaches the pocket wheel 270 to disengage it from the container and hence allow the latter to be moved off the support for discharge. The cam track 276 holds the container guides elevated until they approach the pocket wheel 268 and then allows them to move downwardly into engagement with the tops of the empty containers which are being moved onto the container supports. The cam track 276 is shown in FIG. 13 and a single container guide 234 is illustrated therein in a raised position, the guide being maintained in this raised position by the cam roll 278 which rides along the upper edge of the cam. The container guide illustrated has a conical surface 15 especially adapted to recieve and guide the neck of a bottle into concentric relation with respect to the nozzle so that the neck of the bottle will be in alignment with the nozzle tube. The specific configuration of the container guide, however, will be determined by the container being filled.

It is to be observed that elevation of the container guide 234, which in turn elevates the rod 232x and lifts the weight W from the valve V14, will not by itself initiate operation of the filling head since it is also necessary to perform the further operation in the case of the single head machine of operating the foot valve V (FIG. 14) and in the case of the multi-head machine of operating the starting trip T1 (FIG. 17 of the valve VS and since the cam 250 (FIG. 2) for effecting operation of the trip T1 is located beyond the pocket wheel 258 there is no danger that the filling head will be caused to discharge material during the interval that it is travelling from the pocket wheel 270 to the pocket wheel 268.

In the previous description of the displacement chamber, manifold and valve assemblies for efiecting induction and discharge emphasis was placed upon the fact that the component parts of these assemblies were especially desinged to be quickly disassembled for replacement of parts of different size and/or for cleaning and the various component parts were descirbed as being provided with clamping flanges and with clamps for releasably clamping them to each other. Quickrelease commercially available clamps are used for this purpose. One such clamp is manufactured by Alloy Products Corporation, I045 Perkins Avenue, Waukesha, Wisconsin and as diagrammatically illustrated (FIG. 6) comprises a hinged ring 257, the inside of which contains a groove 259 adapted to receive the abutting flanges at the ends of the parts to be joined. The adjacent ends of the ring are provided with hooks and a toggle link 261 and lever 263 provide for drawing the ends of the ring together to effect clamping. These clamps are comprised of stainless steel, are easy to apply and release and adjustable to insure leak-tight clamping pressure. Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, an elastic gasket 3 is placed between each pair of abutting flanges prior to application of the clamp.

The resilient sealing rings 54 (FIG. 7) employed around the ram and also the supply pipe are also commercial items and in cross-section are of substantially rectangular configuration. The expandable core 56 is comewhat V-shaped in cross-section so that when placed in the recess between the opening and the ram under compression it tends to expand in the direction of the arrows a-a to form a liquid-tight seal.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a filling machine for filling containers having top openings for receiving a fluid material, said machine being of the kind comprising a filling head from which projects downwarqliy a nozzle, a container support below the filling head on which a container is adapted to be supported in a predetermined upright position with its top opening below and in alignment with the lower end of the nozzle, said filling head being movable downwardly relative to the container support to lower the nozzle through the top opening into the container for filling and upwardly to withdraw it from the container following filling, and a source of fluid material; a chamber of greater volume than the container to be filled, a conductor connecting the source of fluid material to the chamber, a conductor connecting the chamber to the filling head, a ram supported for movement in the chamber in one direction to induce fluid material from the source into the chamber and in the other direction to discharge fluid material from the chamber to the filling head and from thence through the nozzle into the container, said ram being adapted to displace a volume of fluid material such as to fill the container to a predetermined level, a fluid motor for effecting reciprocation of the ram, means for supplying operating fluid pressure to said fluid motor to effect reciprocation of the ram, sensing means for terminating the displacement stroke of the ram when the level of the fluid material in the container reaches a predetermined selected level therein, comprising a sensing tube, means supporting the sensing tube in alignment with the nozzle for movement therewith through the top opening into the container to a position corresponding to said predetermined selected level, means connected to the sensing tube for supplying sensing air through the sensing tube at a predetermined pressure, penumatically operable means in communication with said sensing tube normally inoperative at the pressure of the free flowing sensing air in the sensing tube, said pneumatically oper able means being operable in response to a rise in pressure in the sensing tube brought about by blocking of the sensing tube when the fluid material reaches said predetermined selected level, and means operable in response to operation of said pneumatically operable means to vent the operating fluid pressure supplied to said fluid motor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pneumatically operable means comprises a pressureoperable diaphragm connected to the sensing tube, said diaphragm being maintained at a predetermined position so long as the sensing air flows through to the sensing tube, said diaphragm being adapted to be displaced by an increase in pressure in the sensing tube, and said last means comprising a jet in communication with said operating fluid pressure, said jet constantly bleeding said operating fluid pressure through it to a suboperating fluid pressure less than that which is required to effect operation of said pressure-operable means, and a member supported by the diaphragm and movable by displacement of the diaphragm relative to the jet to restrict the flow through the jet and hence to increase the operating pressure sufficiently to effect operation of said pressure operable means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a valve interposed in said sensing tube, said valve normally providing a passage for flow of said sensing air, and a trip valve connected to the operating fluid pressure operable by tripping to shift said valve to a position to cut off flow of sensing air to said sensing tube,

and to connect said operating fluid pressure to the sensing tube to clear the sensing tube at the end entering the container.

4. A filling machine according to claim 1, comprising valves associated with the nozzle and source for controlling the flow of fluid material, said valves being arranged to be respectively opened and closed at the inception of the displacement stroke of the ram and to be respectively closed and opened at the inception of the induction stroke of the ram.

5. A filling machine according to claim 1, comprising vlaves associated with the nozzle and source for controlling the flow of fluid material, and means for simultaneously closing the valve associated with the source and opening the valve associated with the nozzle with initiation of the displacement stroke of the ram, and for simultaneously opening the valve associated with the source and closing the valve associated with the nozzle with the initiation of the induction stroke of the ram.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ram is situated between the source and the nozzle and there are elongate flow passages for the fluid from the source to the ram and from the ram to the nozzle such as to effect quiescent flow.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ram is situated between the source and the nozzle with elongate flow passages connecting the ram to each, and the source is of a volumetric capacity in excess of the amount of fluid material displaced by the maximum stroke of the ram such that the flow passage from the source to the ram is never deleted.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the source comprises a stand pipe connected to said chamher by a relatively long flow passage, said chamber 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there is means adjustably connecting the ram and the fluid motor such that for a predetermined stroke of the fluid motor the stroke of the ram may be increased or decreased.

l 1. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid motor comprises a cylinder and piston assmbly including a piston rod connected to the ram, comprising a stop adjustably mounted on the rod operable by engagement with the cylinder to limit retraction of the rod and hence the induction stroke of the ram.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said stop comprises a part fixed relative to the rod, a part movable relative to the fixed part along the rod and a spacer member adapted to be inserted between the fixed and movable parts.

13. In a filling machine for filling containers having top openings, said machine being of the kind comprising a filling head from which projects downwardly a nozzle, a container support belw the filling head, said filling head being movable downwardly relative to the container support to lower the nozzle into a container resting on the support and upwardly to withdraw it following filling, a chamber, a source of fluid material, conductors connecting the filling nozzle and the source of fluid to the chamber, a ram supported for movement into and out of the chamber operable, by movement into the chamber, to displace fluid from the chamber to the nozzle and by movement in the opposite direction to induce fluid from the source into the chamber, a cylinder and piston assembly including a pistor rod connected to the ram for effecting reciprocation of the ram, means for supplying operating fluid pressure to the cylinder at each end to displace the piston thereon, sensing means for terminating the displacement of the piston in the direction of filling when the level of the material in the container reaches a predetermined level, comprising a conductor tube through which sensing air at a predetermined pressure is injected into the container, pneumatically operable means connected to the conductor tube operable in response to a resistance to flow of the sensing air thorugh said conductor tube by the fluid material when it reaches said predetermined level, means operable in response to operation of said pneumatically operable means to vent the pressure fluid supplied to the piston, and a vacuum tube associated with the filling nozzle, said vacuum tube being movable with the nozzle into the container and being operable when the fluid material reaches said predetermined level to remove any excess fluid material above said predetermined level. I

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the vacuum tube returns the excess material to the source of supply of said material.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a closure is associated with the nozzle and is movable into sealing engagement with the top of the container as the nozzle is moved into said container.

16. Apparatus according to claim 13 comprising means for adjusting the end of the vacuum tube relative to the end of the nozzle. 

1. In a filling machine for filling containers having top openings for receiving a fluid material, said machine being of the kind comprising a filling head from which projects downwardly a nozzle, a container support below the filling head on which a container is adapted to be supported in a predetermined upright position with its top opening below and in alignment with the lower end of the nozzle, said filling head being movable downwardly relative to the container support to lower the nozzle through the top opening into the container for filling and upwardly to withdraw it from the container following filling, and a source of fluid material; a chamber of greater volume than the container to be filled, a conductor connecting the source of fluid material to the chamber, a conductor connecting the chamber to the filling head, a ram supported for movement in the chamber in one direction to induce fluid material from the source into the chamber and in the other direction to discharge fluid material from the chamber to the filling head and from thence through the nozzle into the container, said ram being adapted to displace a volume of fluid material such as to fill the container to a predetermined level, a fluid motor for effecting reciprocation of the ram, means for supplying operating fluid pressure to said fluid motor to effect reciprocation of the ram, sensing means for terminating the displacement stroke of the ram when the level of the fluid material in the container reaches a predetermined selected level therein, comprising a sensing tube, means supporting the sensing tube in alignment with the nozzle for movement therewith through the top opening into the container to a position corresponding to said predetermined selected level, means connected to the sensing tube for supplying sensing air through the sensing tube at a predetermined pressure, penumatically operable means in communication with said sensing tube normally inoperative at the pressure of the free flowing sensing air in the sensing tube, said pneumatically operable means being operable in response to a rise in pressure in the sensing tube brought about by blocking of the sensing tube when the fluid material reaches said predetermined selected level, and means operable in response to operation of said pneumatically operable means to vent the operating fluid pressure supplied to said fluid motor.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pneumatically operable means comprises a pressure-operable diaphragm connected to the sensing tube, said diaphragm being maintained at a predetermined position so long as the sensing air flows through to the sensing tube, said diaphragm being adapted to be displaced by an increase in pressure in the sensing tube, and said last means comprising a jet in communication with said operating fluid pressure, said jet constantly bleeding said operating fluid pressure through it to a suboperating fluid pressure less than that which is required to effect operation of said pressure-operable means, and a member supported by the diaphragm and movable by displacement of the diaPhragm relative to the jet to restrict the flow through the jet and hence to increase the operating pressure sufficiently to effect operation of said pressure operable means.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a valve interposed in said sensing tube, said valve normally providing a passage for flow of said sensing air, and a trip valve connected to the operating fluid pressure operable by tripping to shift said valve to a position to cut off flow of sensing air to said sensing tube, and to connect said operating fluid pressure to the sensing tube to clear the sensing tube at the end entering the container.
 4. A filling machine according to claim 1, comprising valves associated with the nozzle and source for controlling the flow of fluid material, said valves being arranged to be respectively opened and closed at the inception of the displacement stroke of the ram and to be respectively closed and opened at the inception of the induction stroke of the ram.
 5. A filling machine according to claim 1, comprising vlaves associated with the nozzle and source for controlling the flow of fluid material, and means for simultaneously closing the valve associated with the source and opening the valve associated with the nozzle with initiation of the displacement stroke of the ram, and for simultaneously opening the valve associated with the source and closing the valve associated with the nozzle with the initiation of the induction stroke of the ram.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ram is situated between the source and the nozzle and there are elongate flow passages for the fluid from the source to the ram and from the ram to the nozzle such as to effect quiescent flow.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ram is situated between the source and the nozzle with elongate flow passages connecting the ram to each, and the source is of a volumetric capacity in excess of the amount of fluid material displaced by the maximum stroke of the ram such that the flow passage from the source to the ram is never deleted.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the source comprises a stand pipe connected to said chamber by a relatively long flow passage, said chamber being adapted to maintain a standing column of fluid material in communication with said chamber, and means for bleeding air from said stand pipe.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising means exteriorly of the chamber for limiting the induction stroke of the ram.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there is means adjustably connecting the ram and the fluid motor such that for a predetermined stroke of the fluid motor the stroke of the ram may be increased or decreased.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid motor comprises a cylinder and piston assmbly including a piston rod connected to the ram, comprising a stop adjustably mounted on the rod operable by engagement with the cylinder to limit retraction of the rod and hence the induction stroke of the ram.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said stop comprises a part fixed relative to the rod, a part movable relative to the fixed part along the rod and a spacer member adapted to be inserted between the fixed and movable parts.
 13. In a filling machine for filling containers having top openings, said machine being of the kind comprising a filling head from which projects downwardly a nozzle, a container support belw the filling head, said filling head being movable downwardly relative to the container support to lower the nozzle into a container resting on the support and upwardly to withdraw it following filling, a chamber, a source of fluid material, conductors connecting the filling nozzle and the source of fluid to the chamber, a ram supported for movement into and out of the chamber operable, by movement into the chamber, to displace fluid from the chamber to the nozzle and by movement in the opposite direction to induce fluid from the source into the chamber, a cylinder anD piston assembly including a pistor rod connected to the ram for effecting reciprocation of the ram, means for supplying operating fluid pressure to the cylinder at each end to displace the piston thereon, sensing means for terminating the displacement of the piston in the direction of filling when the level of the material in the container reaches a predetermined level, comprising a conductor tube through which sensing air at a predetermined pressure is injected into the container, pneumatically operable means connected to the conductor tube operable in response to a resistance to flow of the sensing air thorugh said conductor tube by the fluid material when it reaches said predetermined level, means operable in response to operation of said pneumatically operable means to vent the pressure fluid supplied to the piston, and a vacuum tube associated with the filling nozzle, said vacuum tube being movable with the nozzle into the container and being operable when the fluid material reaches said predetermined level to remove any excess fluid material above said predetermined level.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the vacuum tube returns the excess material to the source of supply of said material.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a closure is associated with the nozzle and is movable into sealing engagement with the top of the container as the nozzle is moved into said container.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 13 comprising means for adjusting the end of the vacuum tube relative to the end of the nozzle. 